I looked down at the turquoise patterns glowing along the bark. “It kind of looks like the walls of the tower,” I said, leaning in for a better look.The turquoise glow wasn’t just similar, it was nearly identical. Same shifting light, same subtle pulse beneath the surface, like it was alive with quiet magic. I reached out instinctively, fingers hovering just above the bark. The veins of light flickered, then brightened, syncing with the rhythm of my breath.
Roarke’s head snapped up. “Hey, Poppy, has it ever done that before?” she asked.
Poppy squinted at the log. “No, I’ve never seen it do anything. Definitely not pulse. Do you think it might be an actual minion? I always figured it was just a joke pull. You know, the pity prize. Why else would they offer half-token credit if it wasn’t their way of saying, ‘Oops, try again’?”
The log grew brighter, its pulsing settled into a steady rhythm. People nearby started turning away, shielding their eyes as the glow intensified.
I squinted through the light and caught glimpses of tiny runes—glowing, shifting, dancing along the bark. Then I felt it, a strange tug, like something had reached inside and brushed against the core of me.
The air around the log seemed to dim, like the world was holding its breath.
Everything blurred.
Then the log began to shift. It rotated slowly, its wooden surface expanding, twisting, pulsing with magic.
I took a step back just as the crowd gasped, every voice catching in a single shared breath.
Then, as one, the crowd let out a collective, “Awwwww.”
Before me stood a grey wooden baby bear, with turquoise lines pulsing across its body.
It rolled onto its back, kicked its stubby legs, and tumbled in an undeniably adorable display. Then it looked up at me, its big turquoise eyes sparkling.
The eyes widened slightly in that universal way that said, See? I’m adorable.“Hi there, boss!” it chirped in the cutesiest voice imaginable. “Do you need me to enchant these people further to obey you?”
It kept rolling and tumbling, looking up at the crowd with wide, innocent eyes.
All around us, people were visibly struggling, hands clutching hearts, knees going weak, a few literally swooning.
One person dropped their snack, clutched their face, and gasped, “Ash must never know.”
“Boss, there’s a timer and a cooldown. Would you like me to enchant everyone to obey you?” the bear said in the most sugary-sweet voice, swinging its tiny paws around like it was trying to catch an invisible string.
I gaped at the soft grey fur and pulsing turquoise patterns, trying to comprehend what the bear had just asked me.
I glanced around. Everyone nearby was still watching it tumble, completely hypnotized.
At first, I thought it was just because it was adorable. And it was. Cuter than anything I’d ever seen.
Then its voice broke through my thoughts: “Boss, don’t get entranced by the cute.”
Oh man. Even its voice was adorable.
The bear looked around, taking in the surroundings with wide, curious eyes.
In a very deep almost demonic voice the bear said, “Hold on. Have I been stuck as log at a minion game for hundreds of years?”
That snapped me out of the cuteness.
I looked around and saw a few people shaking their heads, as if trying to break free of the bear’s hold. They didn’t seem to be a match for its skill.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
The bear turned toward Roarke and Poppy, tilting its head as it spoke in that same sugary sweet voice.“Hi! Did I hear you say I’ve been here longer than you? And something about… a joke?”
They bent down as the bear rolled onto its back, presenting its belly with dramatic flair. It let out a soft coo, paws wiggling in the air like it was dancing to music only it could hear.
Poppy reached out and started rubbing its belly. “Oh my goodness, your fur is the softest thing I have ever felt. You must pet it.”
Roarke looked up at me, her expression suddenly clear and serious. “You need to contact Phei immediately. Tell him… Claeffen-level event.”
Then, just as quickly, the seriousness vanished. She turned back to the bear and began rubbing its belly too, cooing at it like it was the most precious baby in the multiverse.
I touched my bracer."Hey, Dev? I think I have a situation. Uh, Lady Roarke, one of the inventors here, said I need to get in touch with my butler, Phei. She called it a Claeffen-level event."
Before I could answer or even figure out what Dev meant by "new device," I felt a tug on my arm.
The screen vanished, and I found myself staring down at the bear as its tiny paws tugged at my arm, letting out soft, puppy-like growls.An involuntary "Aww" slipped out of my mouth."Boss, do you accept me as your minion?" it asked, eyes wide. "I can’t be caught again. Please say yes. I can’t use my skill on you for this, but by the sonic gods, please say yes."
My mind cleared.
I looked around at the crowd. Everyone was still standing there, frozen, staring.
What the hell is this bear?
I had so many questions. My thoughts jumped back to what it had said earlier, about being stuck here for hundreds of years, forgotten and unwanted. But after that transformation? I doubted anyone watching would not want the log now.
I realized I truly only had one question.
“Are you evil?”
The bear blinked up at me, its turquoise eyes impossibly wide. “No, Boss, I’m not evil. I get why you'd ask though. Glowing runes, ancient magic, slightly unhinged cuteness, it gives off a vibe. But nope. Not evil.”
It placed a paw gently on its own chest, then added solemnly, “I’m a Jianmu cutting. That probably doesn’t mean anything to you, huh?”
I shook my head.
“Thought so. The Jianmu is a world tree from another realm. Big, powerful, very secretive. Sometimes, pieces of it fall or are... gifted. I’m one of those pieces. A little sprout of world-shaping potential. Just happened to end up here.”
It gave a sheepish shrug and wiggled in place like it couldn’t quite sit still. “Got stuck in the system, tagged as a joke pull. No one ever picked me. Until you.”
Its voice dropped to a near whisper, still sweet but touched by something older, heavier.“So no, Boss. Not evil. Just… misplaced.”
Then I said it."Yes."
The game board flared to life. The swirling list of minions lit up in a burst of color, spinning faster and faster before snapping into stillness.
The name Log vanished from the roster.
“That sounds like an interesting minion,” Phei said from my left.
I jumped, turning to see my butler calmly waving his hand in the air.
In a blink, the world shifted. I was back inside my room.
The bear stood nearby, tiny hands on its hips, looking around in confusion.
“Wait. You aren’t supposed to be able to do that,” the bear said, sounding mildly offended.
Phei rolled his eyes, the flames dancing just a little higher off his skin.
I watched a silent standoff unfold between a wooden baby bear and a mildly annoyed fiery demon, each waiting for the other to blink first.
I walked over to the couch and flopped down.
My first minion. Not an elemental. Not a dragon. Not a mecha. And thank goodness, not a slime.
No, I had a log. A mesmerizing, shape-shifting wooden bear.
Was it a bear first, then a log? Or a log first, then a bear? How does the tree story even go? I didn’t know.
I could see why people returned it for an upgrade token. Who wants a log? Even the game attendant hadn’t thought it was a minion.
Before I could spiral further into tree-based existential questions, Roarke flopped into the chair across from me, still grinning.
“When did you get here?” I asked.
“Oh, I traveled with you,” she said with a shrug. “I think you just didn’t notice me through all the” she waved a hand around vaguely, “chaos.”
“Sir, congratulations on your… mobile kindling.”Phei said, dryly. “You will now need to accompany Lady Roarke to... hmm, how shall I put this... away from here.”
He gave her a sidelong glance.
“She will escort you to Magi Claeffen. He is being notified of the situation and—”
Before he could finish, Magi Claeffen appeared in the room.
“Well, this is better than I hoped,” he said, flashing a grin.
He gave Lady Roarke a short, respectful bow, then gestured to me.
“Mal, congratulations. It’s time for your next lesson.”
The light around Claeffen shimmered, reality bending slightly as he turned. I didn’t know where we were going, but something told me the real magic hadn’t even started yet.
The last thing I heard was, “Mal, why aren’t you wearing the earrings?”